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| Does your child often look like this? |
Simply try eliminating or heavily cutting down dairy from their diets. Normally toddlers eat so much dairy that they become so full of mucus that it literally pours out of their noses and they have endless coughs. If you write down the amount of dairy in your child's diet over the course of a week, then most people find it is usually quite a lot. If you are worried about calcium then rest assured milk is certainly not the only form of calcium.
I know my son, who is now 12, developed eczema as a baby, due to the large proportions of milk I was giving him. With homeopathy and a radical change in the milk, cheese and endless yoghurts I was giving him, I was glad to find that it eventually disappeared for good. It took about a year of homeopathy and a radical change in diet for this to happen. After having my second child 3 years ago I was much more prepared. She eats very little dairy and after I finished breastfeeding I switched her over to oat milk which you can either make or buy in the supermarkets. She rarely eats yoghurts and cheese and has only had a couple of minor colds/coughs since she was born. I am sure that her minimal intake of dairy has something to do with this. I am not saying that our children must never eat dairy, I just wanted to highlight just how powerful eliminating dairy from our diets can be for adults as well as children! A very interesting website is NOT MILK in particular The Famous Milk Letter Full of very informative articles!
An interesting video explanation on how homeopathy works on colds and coughs
Below are a couple of very interesting and informative videos with regard to vaccination. I urge any parent to make an informed decision before vaccinating their children.
An excellent website to help you make this hugely important decision is INFORMED PARENT
Another very interesting video about the massive increase in psychiatric drugs that are administered to children.
For children with dairy allergies the following health problems can occur. Colic in babies, eczema, asthma, recurring ear, nose and throat problems. Most common symptoms are excessive mucus production, respiratory complaints such as asthma and gastrointestinal problems.
COLIC AND GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS.
LACTOSE INTOLERANCE
One problem which causes colic is lactose intolerance. Lactose is milk sugar and some children lack the necessary enzyme, lactase, to digest the lactose. Because this milk sugar is left in the gut to ferment, the side effects can include the most uncomfortable wind and bloating.
One problem which causes colic is lactose intolerance. Lactose is milk sugar and some children lack the necessary enzyme, lactase, to digest the lactose. Because this milk sugar is left in the gut to ferment, the side effects can include the most uncomfortable wind and bloating.
SOLUTIONS TO LACTOSE INTOLERANCE
* Breast feed your baby for at least the first 6 months but longer if possible
* Add lactase enzymes to milk to ‘pre-digest’ it several hours before drinking it (available from good health food shops).
* Avoid milk, especially skimmed milk which has more lactose
* Drink lactose-free milk (found in large supermarkets)
* Drink calcium enriched soya milk (in moderation as soya can lead to allergies as well).
* Cheese usually does not cause a problem as it contains low levels of lactose and yoghurt is often fine as the bacteria in it have pre-digested the lactose, milk sugars and proteins.
*Butter has only a trace amount of lactose and is almost never an issue as it is almost 100% fat.
* Breast feed your baby for at least the first 6 months but longer if possible
* Add lactase enzymes to milk to ‘pre-digest’ it several hours before drinking it (available from good health food shops).
* Avoid milk, especially skimmed milk which has more lactose
* Drink lactose-free milk (found in large supermarkets)
* Drink calcium enriched soya milk (in moderation as soya can lead to allergies as well).
* Cheese usually does not cause a problem as it contains low levels of lactose and yoghurt is often fine as the bacteria in it have pre-digested the lactose, milk sugars and proteins.
*Butter has only a trace amount of lactose and is almost never an issue as it is almost 100% fat.
PROTEIN PROBLEMS
The other main reason for allergies are the thirty proteins found in cow’s milk.
• Casein, the main protein to cause problems, is a large molecule and is so dense in milk that in formula feeds its percentage has been reduced to reflect human milk. It is really designed for small cows, not small people. In the stomach these proteins coagulate into a large, hard to digest, lump which then takes a lot of work to break down. Goat’s milk forms into much easier, small lumps and human milk into tiny little globules. Goat’s milk has a different form of casein which is much better tolerated by children.
• You may have seen posters in your doctor’s surgery urging breast feeding because of the increased risk of insulin-dependant diabetes in children. The reason that cow’s milk is believed to be the culprit is that an anti-body, Bovine Serum Albumin is thought to attack the pancreas in susceptible children, accounting for the sharp upturn in this disease.
• Milk protein allergy can lead to the symptoms of asthma, eczema, digestive problems, constipation, diarrhoea and also to headaches and dark circles around eyes. In the worst cases anaphylactic shock have even been reported.
• Mucus build-up is one of the key down-sides of too much dairy and this can lead to one of the most common plagues to affect young children - glue ear. The simple measure of cutting back, or cutting out milk and cheese can usually eliminate this avoiding the long and uncomfortable road of antibiotics and operations to insert a grommet into the ear.
The other main reason for allergies are the thirty proteins found in cow’s milk.
• Casein, the main protein to cause problems, is a large molecule and is so dense in milk that in formula feeds its percentage has been reduced to reflect human milk. It is really designed for small cows, not small people. In the stomach these proteins coagulate into a large, hard to digest, lump which then takes a lot of work to break down. Goat’s milk forms into much easier, small lumps and human milk into tiny little globules. Goat’s milk has a different form of casein which is much better tolerated by children.
• You may have seen posters in your doctor’s surgery urging breast feeding because of the increased risk of insulin-dependant diabetes in children. The reason that cow’s milk is believed to be the culprit is that an anti-body, Bovine Serum Albumin is thought to attack the pancreas in susceptible children, accounting for the sharp upturn in this disease.
• Milk protein allergy can lead to the symptoms of asthma, eczema, digestive problems, constipation, diarrhoea and also to headaches and dark circles around eyes. In the worst cases anaphylactic shock have even been reported.
• Mucus build-up is one of the key down-sides of too much dairy and this can lead to one of the most common plagues to affect young children - glue ear. The simple measure of cutting back, or cutting out milk and cheese can usually eliminate this avoiding the long and uncomfortable road of antibiotics and operations to insert a grommet into the ear.
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR ON LABELS
Usually it is sufficient just to cut back on dairy products - cheese once a week and a couple of yoghurts a week along with a bit of milk in desserts is unlikely to be a problem for most children. Removing a food from the diet completely can sometimes lead to further problems as no natural resistance is built up and therefore the intolerance may become worse.
In some cases however there is such an acute allergy that all dairy products, including yoghurt and butter, have to be avoided and this includes packaged products containing dairy. There are many unfamiliar terms for dairy components to look out for in this case, and, in addition to the obvious (milk, cheese, cream, butter, yoghurt) include:
* Buttermilk * Lactic acid
* Casein / caseinate * Lactobacillus
* Crème Fraîche * Lactose
* Ghee * Quark
* Kefir * Whey
* Lactalbumin
Usually it is sufficient just to cut back on dairy products - cheese once a week and a couple of yoghurts a week along with a bit of milk in desserts is unlikely to be a problem for most children. Removing a food from the diet completely can sometimes lead to further problems as no natural resistance is built up and therefore the intolerance may become worse.
In some cases however there is such an acute allergy that all dairy products, including yoghurt and butter, have to be avoided and this includes packaged products containing dairy. There are many unfamiliar terms for dairy components to look out for in this case, and, in addition to the obvious (milk, cheese, cream, butter, yoghurt) include:
* Buttermilk * Lactic acid
* Casein / caseinate * Lactobacillus
* Crème Fraîche * Lactose
* Ghee * Quark
* Kefir * Whey
* Lactalbumin
CALCIUM FROM OTHER SOURCES
The main worry for parents who need to take dairy out of their child’s diets, or who may want to cut back as a preventative measure, is where to get calcium in the diet. Here are a few interesting points that may help to relieve some of this anxiety:
• Calcium is best used by the body with magnesium, and while dairy products are rich sources of calcium they offer only tiny amounts of magnesium. This means that while we can take in the calcium, we don’t necessarily use it for bone and tooth health unless it is balanced by magnesium.
• The foods that give the best ratio of calcium to magnesium are green leafy vegetables such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and kale. Nuts (all types) and seeds (sunflower, pine nuts, pumpkin) also give the ideal ratio. Sesame seeds are a good source of calcium and can be added to cereals and porridge giving a crunchy texture. Sesame seeds which are a good source are found in Hummus through Tahini Paste. Other sources of Calcium – oily fish such as sardines and mackerel (also give omega oils/essential fatty acids which are good for eczema) and dried apricots (organic as non organic contain sulphites); black strap molasses (also provides magnesium, potassium and iron).
• Children aged 2 to 7 need 1300-1700 calories. One of the temptations of whole milk is that it contributes significantly, at 100 calories per 150ml (1 small glass). However it fills up young tummies quickly, cutting their appetite for other foods. Better to quench their thirst with water or diluted juice, and include high fat foods in their meals such as olive oil, avocado, egg yolks, oily fish, coconut cream, tahini, almond nut butter and fresh nuts and seeds (beware of choking hazard).
• Between the ages of 2 and 7 youngsters need 600mg of calcium a day. If they have a varied, whole-food diet sufficient calcium can be obtained. Even tap water from ‘hard-water’ areas or still mineral water provide significant amounts of calcium.
This is an example of a menu will give around 600mg of calcium:
2 eggs 50mg
Handful of dates 25mg
1 orange 50mg
1 carrot in matchsticks 25mg
1/2 portion broccoli spears 35mg
Sunflower seeds (can be ground as cereal 20mg
topping but avoid if your child has nut allergies)
1/2 small tin pink salmon 75mg
1 calcium enriched soya yoghurt (on cereal) 100mg
2 slices wholemeal bread (or bread sticks) 50mg
2 portions of green vegetables 80mg
1 portion of baked beans 50mg
Fruit salad (kiwi, pear & melon) 40mg
2 eggs 50mg
Handful of dates 25mg
1 orange 50mg
1 carrot in matchsticks 25mg
1/2 portion broccoli spears 35mg
Sunflower seeds (can be ground as cereal 20mg
topping but avoid if your child has nut allergies)
1/2 small tin pink salmon 75mg
1 calcium enriched soya yoghurt (on cereal) 100mg
2 slices wholemeal bread (or bread sticks) 50mg
2 portions of green vegetables 80mg
1 portion of baked beans 50mg
Fruit salad (kiwi, pear & melon) 40mg
Goats milk
Easier to digest as it doesn’t contain aglutinin so less clustering of fat globules.
Goat milk protein forms a softer curd (the term given to the protein clumps that are formed by the action of your stomach acid on the protein), which makes the protein more easily and rapidly digestible. Theoretically, this more rapid transit through the stomach could be an advantage to infants and children who regurgitate cow's milk easily. Goat's milk may also have advantages when it comes to allergies. Goat's milk contains only trace amounts of an allergenic casein protein, alpha-S1, found in cow's milk. Goat's milk casein is more similar to human milk, yet cow's milk and goat's milk contain similar levels of the other allergenic protein, beta lactoglobulin.
Goat's milk contains slightly lower levels of lactose (4.1 percent versus 4.7 percent in cow's milk), which may be a small advantage in lactose-intolerant persons.
Easier to digest as it doesn’t contain aglutinin so less clustering of fat globules.
Goat milk protein forms a softer curd (the term given to the protein clumps that are formed by the action of your stomach acid on the protein), which makes the protein more easily and rapidly digestible. Theoretically, this more rapid transit through the stomach could be an advantage to infants and children who regurgitate cow's milk easily. Goat's milk may also have advantages when it comes to allergies. Goat's milk contains only trace amounts of an allergenic casein protein, alpha-S1, found in cow's milk. Goat's milk casein is more similar to human milk, yet cow's milk and goat's milk contain similar levels of the other allergenic protein, beta lactoglobulin.
Goat's milk contains slightly lower levels of lactose (4.1 percent versus 4.7 percent in cow's milk), which may be a small advantage in lactose-intolerant persons.
Different minerals
Although the mineral content of goat's milk and cow's milk is generally similar, goat's milk contains 13 percent more calcium, 25 percent more vitamin B-6, 47 percent more vitamin A, 134 percent more potassium, and three times more niacin. It is also four times higher in copper. Goat's milk also contains 27 percent more of the antioxidant selenium than cow's milk. Cow's milk contains five times as much vitamin B-12 as goat's milk and ten times as much folic acid (12 mcg. in cow's milk versus 1 mcg. for goat's milk per eight ounces with an RDA of 75-100 mcg. for children). The fact that goat's milk contains less than ten percent of the amount of folic acid contained in cow's milk means that it must be supplemented with folic acid in order to be adequate as a formula or milk substitute for infants and toddlers, and popular brands of goat's milk may advertise "supplemented with folic acid" on the carton. Folic acid sources are wheatgerm, spinach, peanuts, sprouts, asparagus, sesame seeds, broccoli.
Although the mineral content of goat's milk and cow's milk is generally similar, goat's milk contains 13 percent more calcium, 25 percent more vitamin B-6, 47 percent more vitamin A, 134 percent more potassium, and three times more niacin. It is also four times higher in copper. Goat's milk also contains 27 percent more of the antioxidant selenium than cow's milk. Cow's milk contains five times as much vitamin B-12 as goat's milk and ten times as much folic acid (12 mcg. in cow's milk versus 1 mcg. for goat's milk per eight ounces with an RDA of 75-100 mcg. for children). The fact that goat's milk contains less than ten percent of the amount of folic acid contained in cow's milk means that it must be supplemented with folic acid in order to be adequate as a formula or milk substitute for infants and toddlers, and popular brands of goat's milk may advertise "supplemented with folic acid" on the carton. Folic acid sources are wheatgerm, spinach, peanuts, sprouts, asparagus, sesame seeds, broccoli.
GROWING OUT OF THE PROBLEM
There is a divergence of views between the medical profession and the more naturopathic approach to health. It does seem that many children grow out of milk allergies and, as their age moves out of single figures, symptoms such as asthma and eczema often resolve themselves. However, the less orthodox view is that the body is learning to adapt, as a survival mechanism, but that the symptoms will reappear in later years - thirties or forties - in another form, such as migraine or irritable bowel syndrome. Surely the most sensible approach, as no one can be really sure how the problem will develop in any given child, is to make sure that there is variety in the diet and not too much dependency on any one food group. Variety reduces the opportunity for allergy.
There is a divergence of views between the medical profession and the more naturopathic approach to health. It does seem that many children grow out of milk allergies and, as their age moves out of single figures, symptoms such as asthma and eczema often resolve themselves. However, the less orthodox view is that the body is learning to adapt, as a survival mechanism, but that the symptoms will reappear in later years - thirties or forties - in another form, such as migraine or irritable bowel syndrome. Surely the most sensible approach, as no one can be really sure how the problem will develop in any given child, is to make sure that there is variety in the diet and not too much dependency on any one food group. Variety reduces the opportunity for allergy.
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